Minnechaug edges East Longmeadow, 4-3, in 11 inning baseball thriller

Minnechaug's Greg Heineman, shown during regular season action against East Longmeadow, was the winning pitcher during the team's sectional semifinal win over East Longmeadow Wednesday night. (The Republican file photo)

CHICOPEE - It took a walk-off dribbler . . .

A two-out, full-count, bases-loaded dribbler that skipped under the glove of a charging infielder was enough to end an 11-inning, four-hour game.

And with it, keep alive the title defense hopes the Minnechaug Regional High School baseball team.

The Falcons survived a 4-3, extra-inning win over East Longmeadow in a Western Massachusetts Division I semifinal Wednesday night at Szot Park.

"I have coached for 21 years and have been around baseball all my life, but I have never seen anything quite like this one,'' Minnechaug coach Erik Mandell said of a 7 p.m. game that ended at 11:15. "For a game to go that far, with two teams of such high quality . . . ''

No. 2 Minnechaug (18-4), the defending champion, advances to face Westfield in the final, Saturday at 1 p.m., at Szot.

Third-seed East Longmeadow, which had reached the last three title games, finished at 16-6.

The winner was delivered by Minnechaug coacth Todd Kosel, who battled during an 11-pitch at-bat to knock a slow bouncer under the glove of East Longmeadow's third baseman.

"If he picks it up, I am not sure if he has enouh time to make a play (on Kosel) at first base,'' Mandell said. "If it goes down as an error, it was probably a hit too.

"Todd put togther a great at-bat against a great pitcher like Matt O'Neil (6.1 innings of relief, 13 striekouts).''

Minnechaug loaded the bases on a lead-off walk, an infield error and another walk.

Starter Jason Erdhardt struck out nien in eight innings, before Greg Heineman finished off the next three for the win.

East Longmeadow was held to only a bunt single during the last eight innings, but had the bases loaded in the eighth and had two chances to go-ahead on suicide squeeze attempts.

One failed when the pitch was missed and Kosel was met by base-runner Steve Moyers. Moyers barreled into Kosel from an upright position, but Kosel made the tag and held on as he was flattened.

Moyers was ruled out for not making an attempt to reach the plate, and the umpire ejected Moyers for the flagrant nature of contact with Kosel.

Minnechaug shortstop Kevin Baker threw out an EL runner at the plate to end the 11th, as Kosel made his second big defensive play at the plate in extra inning,

Minnechaug's Chris Daigneault made a huge defensive play, making a diving catch to his left, with two outs and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth.

O'Neil had led off the top of the eighth with a walk, stole second and moved to third on Moyers' bunt single.

Minnechaug put a runner on second with one out in the eighth, but O'Neil struck out the next two. He also stranded the bases loaded in the ninth, escaping with two more K's.

East Longmeadow used three hits to take a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. O'Neil and Jeff Klofas delivered with singles. Klofas later added another RBI on a squeeze in the third.

Minnechaug answered in the third, tying it at 3-3 on a bases-loaded single by Brian Goossens and a groundout by Ryan Leonard.

The Falcons loaded the bases with one out in the fifth, but Garrett Baker escaped with a pair of strikeouts.

East Longmeadow last won in 2007, reaching the final in each of the last three seasons.

Minnechaug, which defeated Westfield during the regular season, expects to star Goossens. Goossens pitched six innings in a 10-3 win over West Springfield on Tuesday.

Westfield coach Rich Discenza said he does expect to have ace Lee Albertson (7 IP on Tuesday) ready, but not as a starter.